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To qualify for Super Eight, Netherlands need to beat Sri Lanka by a big margin and hope Nepal beat Bangladesh

Madushka Balasuriya16-Jun-20241:21

Maharoof: Sri Lanka need to unleash Chameera

Match detailsNetherlands vs Sri Lanka
Gros Islet, 8.30pm localBig pictureWell, where do you go from here? For Sri Lanka, safe to say, this is nowhere near where they would have wanted to be, as yet another major ICC tournament goes by with them toiling with little more than pride to play for.This turn of events might rankle even more considering that coming into this tournament there had been a quiet confidence in the Sri Lankan camp, particularly of positive results against one or both of South Africa and Bangladesh – certainly the latter whom they recently beat in T20Is – as well a deep run in the tournament. But things didn’t quite work out that way, and following a washout against Nepal, they are now faced with the very real prospect/ignominy of ending at the bottom of their group with not even a win to their name.It’s also their final ICC tournament until their home T20 World Cup in 2026 – there’s a Champions Trophy next year but they missed out on qualification – so regardless of the result, there will no doubt be an inquisition back home into the state of white-ball cricket.Related

Mathews on Sri Lanka's exit: 'We've let the entire nation down'

Bangladesh favourites to make Super Eight, but Nepal could ask difficult questions

As for the Netherlands, there is still a chance to qualify for Super Eight, but it requires a dominant win against Sri Lanka, as well as Nepal beating Bangladesh.If this scenario had been posited a couple of years ago, it’s safe to say Bangladesh would have been pretty relaxed, but such has been the upward trajectory of the Associate members, especially at this tournament, such upsets are not nearly as surprising as they once might have been.Nepal’s agonising defeat to South Africa allied with Sri Lanka’s dismal showing so far in this tournament has lent itself further to these unlikely scenarios, but there’s more to it. While Sri Lanka have Test tours of England and South Africa scheduled for the year following this campaign, the failure to qualify for the Dutch means their cricket for the foreseeable future is done, so they’re certainly not in want of added motivation. With them playing after Bangladesh and Nepal, they will go in knowing exactly what’s needed of them.In terms of head-to-head records, Sri Lanka have never lost to Netherlands, but the more recent encounters haven’t been as one-sided as the scorecards might suggest.Form guideNetherlands LLWLL (Last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLWLWIn the spotlight – Aryan Dutt and Angelo MathewsAryan Dutt had impressed with a three-wicket haul in the last encounter between these two sides – at last year’s ODI World Cup. While he was overlooked in the more seamer-friendly conditions of Dallas and New York, he found his way back into the side against Bangladesh in Kingstown. With spin set to play a key role in Gros Islet, Dutt’s control and variation could prove pivotal in the powerplay to expose Sri Lanka’s soft middle order.Angelo Mathews’ last T20I at Gros Islet was all the way back in 2010•ICC/Getty Images

When Angelo Mathews last played at Gros Islet, his career was in its infancy. Then too it was during a T20 World Cup, but Sri Lanka Cricket – at least on the field – was in a better place. Now 14 years later, he is back as an ageing stalwart with his team having been eliminated at the first hurdle. He has also struggled to keep up with the more aggressive approach T20 cricket demands – his career strike rate stalling at 119.48, well below the standard bearers of the format. With Sri Lanka’s power-hitters currently restricted to their top three and an out-of-form Dasun Shanaka, they need Mathews to show he’s capable of adapting to the times.Team news – spin to win?Spin-bowling allrounder Saqib Zulfiqar could come into the XI should the Netherlands opt for an extra spinner.Netherlands (probable XI): 1 Michael Levitt, 2 Max O’Dowd, 3 Vikramjit Singh, 4 Sybrand Engelbrecht, 5 Scott Edwards (capt, wk), 6 Bas de Leede, 7 Logan van Beek, 8 Tim Pringle/Saqib Zulfiqar, 9 Aryan Dutt, 10 Paul van Meekeren, 11 Vivian KingmaIf Sri Lanka want an extra spinner, they could hand allrounder Dunith Wellalage a T20I debut.Sri Lanka (probable XI): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kamindu Mendis, 4 Dhananjaya de Silva, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga (capt), 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Matheesha Pathirana, 11 Nuwan ThusharaPitch and conditionsThere were runs aplenty in the Australia-Scotland game, which will be encouraging for both sets of batters but Australia’s deployment of three spinners might provide some indication as to the most effective tactic on this Gros Islet pitch. As for the weather, there is a possibility of rain later in the night.Stats that matter Sri Lanka have a 9-0 win-loss record against the Netherlands in limited-overs cricket. Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka are the only Sri Lankan batters to average above 25 and have a strike rate of above 130 in T20Is since January 2023. The average first-innings score at Gros Islet is 161.Quotes”They gave us great support, no matter where we play. Whether it was in Sri Lanka or even here, there were a lot supporting us. And I feel very sorry as we couldn’t do anything for them. I want to apologise for that.”
“For our guys, it’s an awesome opportunity to play cricket in different parts of the world. It’s something we thrive off. We love playing in different conditions in different parts of the world. Obviously, it’s short breaks between games but that’s just part of how these World Cups go and our guys love that.”

Arsenal’s pursuit of a new striker is set to be the main talking point of their expectedly busy transfer window, and if you ask any fan, the addition of a prolific centre-forward would be their top priority.

Arsenal working on Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres deals

At the time of writing, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres stand out as Arsenal’s top two targets for the role.

Ian Wright urges Arsenal to sign "top" £42m forward after alleged talks

The Gunners hero hopes they can do a deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 5, 2025

Sesko finished 2024/2025 with a modest goal return of 21 in all competitions, which is just six more than Kai Havertz who spent half of last season out injured. However, the 22-year-old is a long-term target for Mikel Arteta.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

Arsenal had a proposal to sign Sesko last summer rejected, with the Slovenia international choosing to sign a contract extension and shaking hands on a gentlemen’s agreement with Leipzig that he can leave this year or next year instead.

Arsenal also tried to sign Sesko in January, but the player and his club wanted him to see out the Bundesliga season (Ben Jacobs).

Gyokeres, meanwhile, has just fired Sporting to their first domestic double in two decades with a sensational 54 goals in all competitions – so the Swede’s appeal to Gunners director Andrea Berta is glaringly obvious.

According to the BBC this week, Arsenal were simultaneously working on deals for both Sesko and Gyokeres, before making a final decision on which centre-forward to formally pursue.

Now, it appears they’re favouring Sesko, with talks advancing on that front, according to Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media sources.

Before Sesko, it was reliably reported that Newcastle United star Alexander Isak was actually Arsenal’s “dream” signing.

Arsenal back off in race for Newcastle United star Alexander Isak

However, the striker’s reported £150 million-plus price tag and Newcastle’s qualification for the Champions League make this deal incredibly difficult.

There is also the matter of Liverpool, with journalist Graeme Bailey telling The Boot Room that Arsenal are backing off in the race for Isak, partly because the north Londoners theorise that Arne Slot’s title-winners are in “pole position” if he does leave St. James’ Park.

“Isak is the dream, and I think because Liverpool’s confidence, that’s where Arsenal’s interest is waning slightly,” said Bailey.

“I’ve been told Liverpool are in pole position. If Isak leaves, Liverpool are in pole position, and I think Arsenal learned that and that’s why they backed off slightly as well. Not just because they can’t afford him, because Arsenal probably could if they wanted to.”

Isak’s 27 goals in all competitions tell just half the story, with Eddie Howe’s Swede proving an absolute nightmare for defences to deal with across 24/25.

It would surely take something very special to convince Newcastle to sell the 25-year-old, and even a record-shattering bid might not be enough.

Manchester United are plotting a route to silverware under Ruben Amorim this term and could also be about to strike on the market to bring in a talented defender, according to reports.

Manchester United's summer transfer plans hang in the balance

Thursday night’s emotional Manchester United victory over Lyon in the Europa League quarter-final provoked scenes unseen for many a year at Old Trafford, while it also kept the Red Devils in the hunt for a backdoor route to Champions League qualification.

Ruben Amorim will be aware that Athletic Club are no slouch as he prepares to face the La Liga outfit in the last four, who have the advantage of hosting the final at their own stadium.

Financially, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS have made no secret of their forceful strategy to cut down on lawless spending at Manchester United, which is why winning the Europa League is imperative to ensure resources are available to plough into transfers.

Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo has been identified as a Red Devils target to offer a new reference point in attack, and his arrival could be offset by Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho making way.

Intriguingly, Manchester United could hijack Barcelona’s attempts to sign Jonathan David on a free transfer, illustrating one of the more prudent avenues to go down if necesarry for club chiefs.

The perfect Rashford replacement: Man Utd in talks over deal for £50m star

Manchester United could forget about Marcus Rashford with a move for one player on the cards this summer.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 19, 2025

Currently, Amorim’s potential spending power hangs in the balance, though he will be hopeful his side prevail on the continent to provide a must-needed boost for the coffers.

Now, United are set to put forward an exciting proposal for one of Europe’s most renowned young defenders that would make headlines across the globe.

Manchester United set to put forward proposal for Yann Bisseck

Per reports in Spain, Manchester United are set to put forward a proposal of £51.4 million for Inter Milan’s Yann Bisseck and the Serie A giants could consider selling the Germany international due to their financial situation.

The 24-year-old is viewed as an ideal candidate to steady a shaky Red Devils’ backline and they are won over by his profile and room for improvement at Old Trafford.

Yann Bisseck’s key Serie A statistics – 2024/25
Tackles won	10
Aerial duels won	41
Duels won	64
Pass accuracy	92.1%
Recoveries	50
Interceptions	14

Labelled a “sensation” by Jacek Kulig, Bisseck has made 35 appearances across all competitions for Inter Milan, registering two goals and three assists in total.

Victor Lindelof has been linked with a Manchester United exit and Jonny Evans is set to call it quits at Old Trafford after a distinguished couple of spells, so there is definitely room for Amorim to mix it up in defence.

Bisseck would be a statement of intent as INEOS look to get the ball rolling on the transfer front, but any deal may likely depend on the outcome of their exploits in the Europa League.

Liverpool face one of their biggest summer windows in recent years and speculation continues to do the rounds surrounding high-profile incomings and outgoings at Anfield.

Liverpool's summer transfer activity set to attract headlines

Arne Slot is edging closer to a Premier League title in his first season in charge on Merseyside, which would be quite the achievement off the back of his arrival from Feyenoord to replace Jurgen Klopp.

However, the Dutchman is aware his side could be set for major alterations this summer. Trent Alexander-Arnold could make a free transfer switch to Real Madrid; something that has created a whiff of bittersweet sentiment among the Reds’ support despite their status as champions in waiting.

Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are also yet to commit to extensions. Both have been emblematic of the success Liverpool have enjoyed over the last few years, though there has been no official communication that either will be around next season to enjoy the fruits of their labours.

Enduring a mini-goal drought, some suggestions have been floated claiming the latter may be unsettled due to his unresolved situation.

Nevertheless, Slot is confident Salah can return to his clinical form in weeks to come, as he stated: “He (Salah) is completely the same but I know Mo, and you probably know him as well, he lives for goals. It would be weird if he was ‘oh, I’m happy I didn’t score’ but he’s not distracted or like ‘I can’t play football any more’.

Related Liverpool open talks to sign "superb" £68m replacement for Darwin Nunez

Arne Slot could change up Liverpool’s forward line ahead of next season.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Apr 5, 2025

“No, Mo knows probably his biggest quality is he can play a poor game and still score a goal. So his head is not all over the place. Not at all.”

All parties are keeping their cards close to their chest as Salah enters the final stretch of his deal, but Liverpool could be in the market for a world-renowned replacement if reports are anything to go by.

Liverpool ready Rodrygo bid as potential Salah replacement

Per developments in Spain, Liverpool have Real Madrid star Rodrygo on their list as a potential Salah replacement and have readied an offer in the region of just over £119 million to sign the Brazil international.

Progress in negotiations could be found in the coming days, while there is also the possibility that further significant changes to their forward line unfold in the summer window.

Mohamed Salah vs Rodrygo – key statistics in 2024/25

Mohamed Salah – Premier League (before Fulham on 06/04/2025)

Chances created

69

Shots on target

56

Successful dribbles

51

Touches in opposition box

321

Rodrygo – La Liga

Chances created

48

Shots on target

18

Successful dribbles

41

Touches in opposition box

128

Liverpool’s pursuit of a striker to replace Darwin Nunez is more or less common knowledge amid links to Alexander Isak and Hug Ekitike, but the fact they are serious about reinforcements out wide does go to show that FSG are putting contingency plans in place should Salah opt not to sign fresh terms at Anfield.

Labelled “spectacular” by Carlo Ancelotti, Rodrygo has registered 13 goals and nine assists in 44 appearances for Real Madrid this campaign.

Reading between the lines, Kylian Mbappe’s position in the limelight alongside Vinicius Junior could play into Liverpool’s hands, even if supporters would rather keep hold of Salah as opposed to entering the market.

There were few feats the late great South African allrounder could not achieve on a cricket field. He was an action-hero come to life

Mark Nicholas19-Feb-2024Late afternoon on Saturday, I was on a train. Rain spat angrily at the windows. Apple lit up and the WhatsApp message read, “We wanted to share the sad news with you. Mike passed away peacefully at 16.34 surrounded by his family.” The English countryside raced by, an indistinct picture of grey landscape and flooded fields. The news was a shock but not unexpected. After a complication during relatively routine surgery little more than a week ago, Mike Procter went into cardiac arrest. From unconsciousness, he never woke up. A bright and powerful flame had been snuffed out. Just like that. Proc, gone.I had four cricketing heroes as a kid – first Ted Dexter and John Snow, then Barry Richards and Proc. At Lord’s in the 1973 Gillette Cup final I heard the public announcer say, “From the pavilion end… Mike Procter”, and I shivered. In he sprinted, the winds blowing back his hair as he exploded into that unique action and dramatic result. In all things cricket, Proc was the runaway dream. Gifted, good-looking and great fun, he knew no enemies. In the cricketing homes he loved most – Natal, Rhodesia and Gloucestershire – it was a love that did not go unrequited. In fact, the adoration knew no boundary and it came from spectators, team-mates and opponents alike.He bowled those fast inswingers, and later, he lobbed up big-spinning offbreaks; he caught most things at slip and he batted as if in a hurry, smiting the ball through and over the off side with extraordinary timing and power. He is one of only three men to have made first-class hundreds in six consecutive innings, the others being Sir Donald Bradman and CB Fry.He partied hard, married young (to the glamorous and no-nonsense Springbok tennis player Maryna Goodwin, just four months after they met), travelled widely with bat and ball, won trophies, signed for Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket, and almost never failed to honour a commitment. What a franchise cricketer he would have been!Upon retirement he tried commentary before turning his hand to coaching, international match-refereeing, and the role of South African chief selector. He was a cricketing man in its best sense, a liver and lover of life – charming, thoughtful, kind. He had his flaws, his kryptonite if you like – a drink, a fag and a punt among them, but was never judged. I imagine the Australian allrounder Keith Miller to have been the forebear of the Procter way: few thoughts of strategic plans and due process, more of sparkling performance and the shindigs that followed.The Proccie Rocket in full cry, in a 1971 game against Northampton•Ken Kelly/The Cricketer InternationalThe first time I stood next to him was in the old pavilion bar at the County Ground, Southampton, after he had taken four wickets in five balls to blow away the Hampshire top order in the 1977 Benson and Hedges Cup semi-final. He actually took five in six but the umpire, dear old Tommy Spencer, simply couldn’t bring himself to lift the finger yet again. Nigel Cowley, the batter who followed Gordon Greenidge, Barry Richards, Trevor Jesty and John Rice to the guillotine, said he stood gripped by fear at the bellowing appeal by all of Gloucestershire, but the execution never came.As ground-staff kids, we helped run the scoreboard on big-match occasions and this was as big as it got. We couldn’t find the numbers in time to get them up – remember, those old metal plates that hung by small hooks and were changed by hand at every run and wicket? We missed “Last Man” every time and instead settled for getting the wickets right and the new batter’s name.Anyway, the quid pro quo was a drink with the coach in the bar after the game. And there was Michael John Procter, man of the moment, of the match and of the decade for me. I swear I brushed by to touch an arm and felt the magic rub off in the warm glow of a flushed face and fast-beating heart.Writing a piece for the a few years back, called “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Like the Mighty Mike Procter” I told stories of great deeds done by this man of many talents. The greatest allrounders of existing lifetimes have been Miller, Garry Sobers, Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan, Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Jacques Kallis and Procter. Truly he was that good, and dare I say it, perhaps better than a couple. His cover-drive was likened by Gloucestershire folk to the one revered in those parts years before and played by Wally Hammond. His devastating fast bowling brought myriad hat-tricks and launched a miracle or two. The place to be after the umpires removed the bails for the night was the dressing room, where Cane and coke – aka spook and diesel – was knocked back in gung-ho spirit, whether good day or bad.Straight outta Durban: with friend and long-time team mate Barry Richards at a friendly in Brisbane in 1993•Getty ImagesThere are some facts worth knowing. In the seven Test matches allowed to him, all against Australia, he took 41 wickets at 15 apiece. He scored a thousand runs in a county season nine times and took more than a hundred wickets twice. He was the first cricketer to score a hundred and take a hat-trick in the same match twice. His career-best figures of 9 for 71 came in Bulawayo with offbreaks, in a famous Currie Cup win over Natal. (See the David Lewis story in the piece linked earlier.)But figures don’t do it. His close pal and partner in numerous campaigns, Vintcent Van der Bijl, said simply, “I would have followed him over the top of the First World War trenches had he demanded it. A remarkable all-round cricketer, captain and man. I just loved who Proc was.”Barry Richards says he was “gutted” by the news. “After 65 years where our paths have so often crossed, it’s hard to imagine not being with him again. A giant has fallen.”Most recently Proc founded a project that coached sport- and life skills to thousands of underprivileged children in the areas around Durban, his home town. The Mike Procter Foundation needs money and the trustees are committed to driving it on, in honour of his name.Charismatic, colourful and swashbuckling, Proc was an inspiration wherever he went. Occasionally there was sadness around him as, oddly and unkindly, there has been around other great South African cricketers of the day – Richards, Graeme Pollock and Lee Irvine – but they brightened so many lives with the cricket they played that the memories remain gilded by their genius. It is impossible to pick a favourite but what we can say about Proccie is that few men to have played the game have been so widely respected and admired. His gifts were many, his legacy is forever.

“No one knows that for the last seven to eight months I have been working hard on my bowling”

Sidharth Monga29-Apr-2022You’d expect Sunil Narine to top economy charts in an IPL season eyes closed, but here is a surprise. Among those who have bowled a minimum of 10 overs this IPL, only Narine has a better economy than Krunal Pandya’s 6.18 per over.During Mumbai Indians’ glory days of 2019 and 2020, Krunal played virtually as the fifth specialist bowler with Kieron Pollard used as back-up should things go wrong. In the last year or so, his bowling has dipped, which led him to work hard on his skills for “seven to eight months”. The reward came in the form of his first Player-of-the-Match award in the IPL since 2017, as his spell of 2 for 11 in four overs – including a maiden over – led Lucknow Super Giants’ defence of just 153.Related

• As it happened: Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings, IPL 2022, Pune

• Mohsin, Krunal help Lucknow Super Giants consolidate play-off position

The opposition, Punjab Kings, were a good match-up for Krunal: among the 10 teams this year, Kings have the worst run-rate and worst average against left-arm spin. However, Krunal has been impressive through the season, bowling in eight matches out of nine so far, and going for less than eight an over in six of them. In four of them, he has gone at a run a ball or better.”Throughout the tournament I have been bowling well,” Krunal told host broadcaster Star Sports. “No one knows that for the last seven to eight months I have been working hard on my bowling. Trying to get tall.”I just want to mention Rahul Sanghvi, who has been a big, big help for me. I had a chat with him seven-eight months back, and I told him I want to develop my skill. I felt I was always good with my mindset. I just felt if I could develop my skills, it would really help. The results everyone can see, but the effort has been there from the last eight months, trying to get better as a bowler, especially skill wise.”The one skill Krunal said he was missing was the ability to turn the ball. Bad habits had crept in unknown to him.”Because I am playing a lot of short-form games, you don’t realise what’s happening,” Krunal said. “So I didn’t realise I was getting too low and my stride was too long, and in the end I just had to fire the ball in. So I was just playing with the batsman’s mind. So I just realised if I get tall and if I impart more spin… I have always varied my pace but in that if I am able to impart spin or get the ball to grip [then] that would create a lot of doubt in the batters’ mind. Again had a word with Rahul Sanghvi. He was kind enough to help me.”Let Daniel Vettori, one of the greatest left-arm spinners to play the game, break it down for you. “He is one of the few spinners who can bowl at that pace and still impart topspin on it,” Vettori said on ESPNcricinfo’s post-match analysis show T20 Time Out. “Most spinners who bowl that quickly have to undercut the ball. And therefore all that is happening is that the ball is skidding on unless it is a really bad surface. What he is doing is he is challenging batsmen with that pace but also getting dip.”It’s not like batsmen can get down to him, it’s not like batsmen can go back to him. It is incredibly difficult to read the length. That’s why he is so successful against left-hand batters and right-hand batters because he has actually got something on the ball. It is a real skill, and it’s impressive to watch.”To his credit, Krunal also has the self-awareness to realise when the skill needed to get something on the ball has deserted him, and the willingness to work hard on it setting that right.

The usual routine is that it gets harder to bat in the second innings, but it’s a little different here

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Wellington19-Feb-2020Try as they might, India won’t forget their last Test match at the Basin Reserve. They bowled New Zealand out for 192 on the first day, then took a 246-run first-innings lead, then reduced New Zealand to 94 for 5 in their second innings.And then, well, they had to wait 123 overs to get their next wicket, as Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling put on 352 runs together.Almost every series since then has thrown up a comparable second-innings rearguard. On the same ground less than a year later, against Sri Lanka, Watling joined Kane Williamson in a similar situation, and they put on an even bigger partnership, an unbroken 365 that turned the match on its head. Then, in successive Tests, there were Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls in Christchurch, and Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis batting through an entire day’s play in, once again, Wellington. At the start and end of 2019, we saw, in Hamilton, a rollicking double-century stand in a losing cause, between Mahmudullah and Soumya Sarkar, and match-saving centuries from Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor against England.Test cricket in New Zealand is like Test cricket in no other part of the world. Wickets tumble quickly in the first innings, but by the time the second innings rolls around, something happens to the pitches, and instead of deteriorating and becoming unpredictable in terms of pace and bounce, they simply get better to bat on.Since India’s last tour of the country at the end of the 2013-14 season, the average first-innings wicket in New Zealand has cost 34.79 runs – that’s solidly in the middle of the pack, when you line up first-innings averages across the nine countries that have hosted at least 10 Tests in this period.The average second-innings wicket in New Zealand, meanwhile, has cost 36.09 runs. That’s more than anywhere else on the planet, by a distance, with Australia coming in next at 29.56. New Zealand is the only country where it’s been harder to take wickets in the second innings than in the first.In India, for comparison, a first-innings wicket has fallen with every 36.88 runs added to the scoreboard, and a second-innings wicket with every 24.23 runs. That more or less fits in with the traditional expectations of how pitches are expected to behave. New Zealand? It’s just different in New Zealand.